Steve Manskar reminds us of the meaning of membership in the United Methodist Church, at least as it is outlined in our covenants and discipline. As Manskar notes, reality is far different:

What is striking to me is that in every United Methodist congregation in my experience membership is much more akin to a voluntary association in which people expect to be served rather than to serve with Christ. I have yet to find a congregation that is intentionally living as a community of discipleship found in the Book of Discipline and the Baptismal Covenant. What is your experience?

I don’t know if any experience that contradict’s Steve’s experience. The local church might have a small leaven of disciples. Dan Dick says 10 percent of Christians express true desire for discipleship. The other 90 percent are happy with comfortable, nominal, consumer Christianity. Indeed, that is what they expect and demand. If they do not get it, they will find it somewhere else.

Or is there another reason why 90 percent of Christians turn a deaf ear to calls to discipleship?